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A new and needed web sanctuary for people of color with intellectual and artistic pursuits. In this blog we will be addressing interesting and varied subjects, i.e. current national/world affairs, culture, science, religion, politics, entertainment and literature(including graphic novels a/k/a comic books.....yes comics). We hope you enjoy the exchange of ideas.
Peace & Godspeed.

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Welcome to Afronerd! A new and needed web sanctuary for people of color with intellectual and artistic pursuits. In this blog we will be addressing interesting and varied subjects, i.e. current national/world affairs, culture, science, religion, politics, entertainment and literature(including graphic novels a/k/a comic books.....yes comics). We hope you enjoy the exchange of ideas. Peace & Godspeed

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

I sincerely suspect that the above video is from one of the many Pro-White racist groups that continue to circulate the net. I also suspect that the interracial crime stats (Blacks accused of committing acts against Whites) is what is fueling the recent rash of noose incidents that the media reports as being the latest fad-as if racism has ever gone out of fashion. The reality that most crimes are committed on an intraracial scale doesn't seem to matter to these individuals or that the interracial crimes do not appear to be about racial animus. And conversely, Black leadership's insistence on focusing on racism as opposed to internal dysfunctionalism just adds fuel to the fire (for the burning cross, but I digress). Well tomorrow we are going to discuss a number of different newsworthy topics: another Long Island noose story this time with a kung fu grip(a la black mannequin attached), the real life gangs of ny (and LA) with a pinch of Black vs Brown nonsense and if time permits, The Obama/McClurkin dilemma. As Bob Barker (and now Drew Carey) often exclaimed, "Come on down," and call in live at 646-915-9620 or reach us via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. You know the place-afronerd radio dot com, Thursday at 9pm eastern.....and don't be scared-it's the day after Halloween.

I was listening to Howard Stern on Sirius and well the above clip was discussed. Again my thoughts are forthcoming but this is just insane. Please accept my apologies on the expletives and gross descriptions but you have to remind yourself that subhumans live amongst us. Make sure you're not eating anything when you hear an excerpt of this 2004 documentary-Animal Passions. Your kids and pets are not safe. Truly abhorrent.

More on this issue in a few moments....but as a teaser-this is much to do about nothing. And if you haven't guessed-Obama is a politician after all. Talk amongst yourselves and a synopsis and customary editorial is forthcoming.

Meanwhile, check a snippet from the Washington Post concerning this latest controversy:

COLUMBIA, S.C.--Aides to Barack Obama who are concerned about his fortunes nationally cast his decision not to kick Donnie McClurkin off the program of a gospel concert the campaign was hosting as a principled decision, part of the Illinois senator's constant rhetoric of bringing people together even if they disagree. But in South Carolina it was perhaps important to keep him on the bill for a more obvious consideration: despite the singer's controversial comments in the past about homosexuality, which he has likened to a "curse" and said is a choice, he would be a big draw.

When people stopped by Obama's Columbia office over the last few days to ask about tickets, they specifically checked to make sure McClurkin was still coming.

In Columbia last night, a crowd of more than 3,000 in a packed auditorium cheered and clapped during speeches from Obama aides and taped videos of the Senator and his wife, neither of whom attended, but leaped up for applause and cell phone pictures when McClurkin was introduced. A gay South Carolina pastor, Andy Sidden, gave the prayer that opened the event, a compromise the Obama campaign put together after McClurkin's appearance was attacked by gay rights activists. Sidden's prayer noted the importance of people of all races, backgrounds and sexual orientations coming together.

But McClurkin, who won a Grammy in 2004 for his gospel music and is also the pastor of an evangelical church in New York, quickly became the star of the night, which was the conclusion of three gospel concerts the campaign held around the state. McClurkin essentially acted as the emcee of the event, introducing the other gospel artists who performed, and then took the stage for the last hour. In between sermonizing, singing, and raving about Obama, McClurkin repeatedly defended himself.

"I just said yes," he said of his invitation by the Obama campaign. "I didn't know so much was going to happen. I didn't know my yes was going to mean I was misunderstood and vilified. .. . Sometimes people can take your words and do this with them," he said, making a twisting motion with his hands as the crowd shouted Amens and cheered for him.

OK-and now for my synopsis/editorial. As I have mentioned previously (not to necessarily overstate the obvious) there are gradations or subdivisions among political persuasions. I would describe myself as a moderate conservative, definitely not cut from the same cloth as the evangelical strain of the Republican Party that has literally hijacked the land of the elephants. But it does appear that in order for a politician to have a chance he or she must at least talk with (if not show some allegiance) to the Christian right. This has been most evident in the case of famed evangelist, Billy Graham. Graham had a personal audience with everyone from Harry Truman to Bush II and left up to the fates whoever succeeds Bush.

But to Graham's credit he never aligned himself with the more shadowy elements of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority. The kicker with the Obama factor is that his campaign has often stressed that he is an outsider and not part of typical political party machine. But Obama's need to align himself with singer/evangelist/ex-gay Donnie McClurkin proves that not only is he a politician but also once again he has to appeal to religious zealots-who forget that a core tenet of US governance is the alleged separation of Church and State. Bush and the evangelical segment of the right have forgotten that particular email.

In this instance, I must defend Obama (hey I can defend a brother on the left on occasion-don't faint)-why should he carry the weight of criticism for aligning himself with McClurkin when just about everyone on the left and right must appeal to an entire constituency of Christians (irrespective of color or denomination) that also do not support gay culture. Am I wrong on this? Again, let's hear from our readers. How I long for the days of reason and secularism. If those two precepts ever existed.

We addressed this issue a few weeks ago and since then the matter of laws fining individuals donning saggy underwear exposing garb appears to be gaining ground. Check out Black Voices' latest poll and results asking yay or nay to this fashion statement turned (hasn't always been?) criminal. It looks like the yays have it. What do you guy think? And check out the BV article while you're at it:

It's no secret that I have a problem with gossip blogs or perhaps more specifically our nation's inane fixation/fascination with celebrity culture. You can peruse any gossip blog and one can see literally hundreds of responses or comments devoted to pablum. Even in this blog as I have mentioned on a few occasions, the more salacious the story the more responses-the more historically significant....well you can hear a pin drop. Let's see if the following story generates any interest. Next up, Dr. William Augustus Hinton, inventor of the self-named Hinton syphilis test. Pay close attention to this gentleman's story which demonstrates modesty, perseverance and fortitude. And yet more from the historical record that clearly debunks any notions of alleged racial inferiority. It's time to rise folks-we can do better.....Dr. Hinton has shown us that we have achieved with greater impediments. Come on, People!-shout out to the inimitable Dr. Cliff Huxtable. Check out an excerpt from the Hinton article, thanks to the Boston Globe:

When Dr. William Augustus Hinton developed his test for syphilis in 1927, the disease was on the rise in the United States. Much like AIDS in the 1980s, it was a scourge to be feared, sometimes resulting in blindness, heart disease, paralysis, and madness. Poor, black communities were struck particularly hard.

The Hinton test was more accurate and less expensive than its predecessors, and it spared untold numbers from long, painful, and risky courses of treatment. The test was endorsed by the US Public Health Service and adopted by hospitals around the country. Yet Hinton kept a low profile, refusing an award on at least one occasion and opting not to attend meetings of the American Microbiological Association, of which he was a member.

"He didn't want notoriety," said his grandson, Charles Jones. A modest man, Hinton was black, and he feared that his peers would take his work less seriously if they knew.

Forty-eight years after Hinton's death, the Boston History & Innovation Collaborative will honor Hinton's contributions to healthcare during its eighth annual History & Innovation Awards at the InterContinental Boston hotel on Nov. 13. With the award, the Collaborative hopes to introduce Hinton's work to the many Bostonians who have never heard of him.

"Hinton is not really included when people talk about Boston's medical innovators," Robert Krim, executive director of the Collaborative, said. "But he's a towering figure when you look back, especially in light of racism in the 1920s."

Mr. Starks' adage "the unattractive truth" definitely applies here, doesn't it? If a doctor tells his patient that he or she has terminal cancer, the first reaction is normally denial-why should reminding minority communities of their socio-economic cancer be any different. Dr. Cosby (and yours truly will provide a review of his latest literary effort shortly) has received an equally cold public response when since he too highlighted a bleak future for our nation's underclass youth. Thankfully, both men have not only remained steadfast with their assertions but also have not apologized. Public capitulation in a nutshell....sucks. When a public figure says something that really is unconscionable, he or she may be due for the appropriate tongue lashing (Ann Coulter are you listening-never let it be said that I can't criticize a fellow conservative) but why demand an apology when it is more than likely to be insincere if not forced. But if I did offend anyone with this latest entry please accept my heartfelt apology......yeah right. Check out the Byrnes story in its entirety, courtesy of Eurweb:

*Overstock.com founder Patrick Byrne has refused the NAACP's demand for an apology Friday after video surfaced showing him saying that Utah minorities who don't graduate from high school might as well be burned or thrown away. [See clip below.]

The comments were made during a debate two weeks ago in Provo, where Byrne was speaking in favor of vouchers, public aid for families sending kids to private schools, according to the Associated Press.

A statewide voucher program that would grant $500 to $3,000 per child based on family income is on the Utah ballot Nov. 6.

On the video clip that appears on YouTube, Byrne says: "Right now, 40 percent of Utah minorities are not graduating from high school. You may as well burn those kids. That's the end of their life. That's the end of their ability to achieve in this society if they do not get a high school education. You might as, just throw the kids away."

Byrne said Friday that his remarks were taken out of context and he will not apologize.

"These folks have been selective in their editing," Byrne told The AP. "I very clearly said the system is throwing away 40 percent of the minority kids because they're not graduating. I'm saying that I'm against throwing kids away. People against vouchers are in favor of throwing the kids away," Byrne said.

Jeanetta Williams, a voucher opponent and president of the NAACP's Salt Lake branch, said the videotaped comments shocked her and she believes Byrne meant that minorities who don't graduate should be burned or thrown away. Williams noted that Byrne didn't mention white children who don't graduate. Utah is 83.5 percent white, 11 percent Hispanic and 1 percent black.

"It says he's not sympathetic to the minority community and he means exactly what he said," Williams said of Byrne's lack of an apology.

Byrne, chief executive of Utah-based Overstock, has long been a voucher advocate and has donated several hundred thousand dollars to the voucher movement in Utah. The NAACP is against vouchers, saying they could lead to segregated public schools. It says tuition still would be out for reach for many minority families because a voucher wouldn't cover the entire cost of private school.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Due to scheduling conflicts, we were unable to interview Mr. McNeill (the Director of Operations for the NY Chapter of the BRC) a few weeks ago but be rest assured the interview will take place this Sunday at 8pm (eastern). For those familiar with legendary guitarist Vernon Reid (of the equally legendary Rock group, Living Color) he along with musician/journalist Greg Tate founded the Black Rock Coalition to galvanize alternative artists of color who did not necessarily fit in the r &b and hip hop categories that are oftentimes ascribed to them. This will be a special broadcast as we attempt to decipher what black rock is and how can it be disseminated to the masses. So drop by and give us your opinions as we will be broadcasting “live.” The dial in number is 646-915-9620 or if you are the shy type, feel free to IM/email us at-afronerdradio@yahoo. We also have a chatroom feature at afronerdradio dot com. And remember we are the original chief rockers-Be there and Be Square!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

As the title so aptly states-it's that time again when we do our Week in Review show coming up this Thursday at 9pm. The topics up for grabs this week are: Molestation charges rock Oprah's Academy for girls, Nas' insistence on naming his next cd the infamous N-word, 2 separate cases of make believe gunplay result in one party going to the morgue and the other getting suspended from his school and we may have time to discuss a recent Nobel Prize winning scientist's racist remarks about inferiority and Africa's progress. So as you can see we have a fully stocked bar of topical drinks-stop by and chat us up at: 646-915-9620 or via IM/email at afronerdradio@yahoo.

Officers inspect the car where a man was shot dead on 120th Street and 1st Avenue October 22, 2007 -- By LARRY CELONA, REBECCA ROSENBERG and DAN MANGAN

An undercover cop today came forward Monday and admitted to fatally shooting an unarmed 25-year-old driver during a road-rage argument on a Harlem street the day before - a shooting the off-duty officer fled from without notifying authorities.

Hours after Officer Sean Sawyer's dramatic admission, NYPD brass said the Queens narcotics cop shot Jayson Tirado when Tirado reached toward the back seat of his car, pretended to pull out a gun, and told him, "Say hello to Mr. Ruger."

Sawyer, 33, was holed up at the 25th Precinct, where he refused to answer detectives' questions about the Sunday morning shooting, which occurred 10 hours after he went off duty. He also retained a lawyer.

"The investigation is continuing, so as of yet, no one has been charged," said a spokesman for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

Tirado's grieving family blasted the married Sawyer for being trigger-happy and killing the father of one for no good reason.

"He killed [Tirado] like a reckless teenager, shooting him through the window, abandoning my son, letting him die," said the dead man's weeping mother, Irene Tirado, at their East Village residence.

The shooting occurred about 5 a.m., when Sawyer, who was alone in his own car, and Tirado, who was driving another car containing two passengers, pulled off the southbound FDR when police funneled traffic toward the 116th Street exit and First Avenue because of a fatal motorcycle accident.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Tirado refused to let Sawyer's car pass when they were getting off at the exit, and that soon afterward, as their cars headed north on First Avenue, Tirado swerved in front of Sawyer and slammed on his brakes.

When Sawyer, a four-year veteran who was in plainclothes, got out of his car and approached the other vehicle on foot, according to Browne. Tirado then reached toward the back seat and pretended to pull out a gun, extended his arm and pointed his fingers at the cop, and made the reference to "Mr. Ruger," Browne said.

Ruger is a gun manufacturer.

Sawyer then pulled his pistol and shot Tirado at least once, hitting him in the torso. The cop then drove off.

In response to the above caption-perhaps there was confusion between a child drawing a gun on someone with a child's drawing of a gun. But to be honest, my first thought was that this is definitely a case of school officials overreaching. Again, this was my knee jerk reaction based on the initial reporting of this story. Upon further analysis, it's a little deeper than the child drawing a picture of a pistol. As the above picture demonstrates, the child's picture depicts a gun being pointed at another party. Perhaps we are still talking about an over reaction on the part of school officials but I believe the public has just had enough. At best, the child should have been probed to determine the origin of such a picture. But let's take a look at the article in question and I'll let our readers decipher this issue:

Courtesy of nbc10.com:

Parents Weigh In On Child's Gun Drawing7-Year-Old's Mother Angry Over School Suspension

A drawing by a South Jersey second-grader sparked a clash of opinions.

The picture got the child suspended from his Cape May County school, and students and parents were weighing in on the incident.

When a Dennis Township second-grader drew a picture of himself pointing a gun at another child, he was suspended. The school district said it's appropriate but some said the suspension was an overreaction.

The sketch showed two stick figures. One, with what the student said is a water gun, pointed at the other.

When 7-year-old Kyle Walker drew a picture showing him shooting at his friend David while riding on a school bus last week, Shirley McDevitt said she wasn't concerned.

"When a child draws at that age, they are not drawing something with thought," she said. "Especially when Kyle told me, 'Mom it was a water gun' and he does not have a problem with David."

David showed the picture to his parents who turned it over to Dennis Township primary school officials who sent home a letter saying it was a threat and suspended Kyle for a day noting they have a zero tolerance violence policy.

"It states that they will not tolerate guns, knives, weapons being brought into the schools and if his pencil drawing is a weapon then I'm sorry," McDevitt said.

Jenna Arch's little sister is a friend of Kyle's.

"I think kids will be kids," Arch, of Dennisville, said. "It does concern me to an extent but like I said he's a child. I think he's expressing his art."

Kyle was back in school Monday.

Heather Sudll, a parent, said a picture like that should raise some eyebrows.

"You have to take precautions these days especially with all the shootings taking place in schools," she said. "It taught him a lesson at least, and it will teach the other kids."

McDevitt said the suspension did not teach Kyle a lesson.

"They taught him nothing," she said. "They taught him that if he draws a gun, he can get a day off from school. And the only thing that bothers me -- they kept my child from a day of learning."

The school district released a statement saying, "It is the position of the Dennis Township Board of Education to protect and preserve the confidentiality rights of all of our public school students in the Township of Dennis. These rights are afforded to school children under federal and state statutes."

"Therefore, the district believes that any discussion regarding students or student matters will violate those statutory rights. This would be to the detriment of not only this child, but all school children in the state of New Jersey," the statement said.

The district had no further comment on the matter.

Several people voiced their opinions to NBC 10 about the incident. A few comments are listed below.

"This is as far from teaching kids right from wrong as it gets. At this age, without any aggression being shown, the parents could easily have been contacted and the issue discussed with the child before any action was taken," David from Cherry Hill wrote.

"This is 'political correctness' gone mad. How can we rely on good education for our children when some school administrators have no brains?" Mike wrote.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Well it appears that a glimmer of an internal movement exists-let's see if this story garners as much attention and energy as the Jena 6 neo-civil rights movement. Several weeks ago it was reported that in response to the escalating death rate in Philadelphia specifically, the NOI (Nation of Islam) put out a call to men of color to gather in great numbers (10,000 plus) to patrol the city of brotherly love in hopes of lessening the Black blood flow. The true test will come if this noble endeavor can be replicated nationwide. For more on this issue, check out the article in question, courtesy of the Washington Post:

PHILADELPHIA -- Thousands of black men turned out Sunday to support a volunteer effort aimed at reducing violence in this crime-plagued city, lining up for several blocks to register.

Volunteers who join street patrols as part of the "Call to Action: 10,000 Men, It's a New Day" campaign will not carry weapons or make arrests but will instead be trained in conflict resolution, organizers said.

Roy L. Brown, left, Stephon Knox and David D. Cheatham raise their hands in support of the 10,000 men call to action Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Philadelphia. Thousands of black men turned out to register Sunday for a volunteer effort aimed at reducing violence in their community. Organizers hoped to attract 10,000 men to the project, which was originally conceived as a neighborhood patrol effort but will now encompass a variety of volunteer opportunities. Roy L. Brown, left, Stephon Knox and David D. Cheatham raise their hands in support of the 10,000 men call to action Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Philadelphia. Thousands of black men turned out to register Sunday for a volunteer effort aimed at reducing violence in their community. Organizers hoped to attract 10,000 men to the project, which was originally conceived as a neighborhood patrol effort but will now encompass a variety of volunteer opportunities.

"Nobody else is going to magically come into this community and get it done," said real estate developer Abdur-Rahim Islam, a lead organizer.

Mayor John F. Street, music producer Kenny Gamble and other black community activists joined Police Chief Sylvester Johnson at Temple University for the kickoff rally.

Acknowledging that police alone can't quell a run of violence, Johnson called for 10,000 volunteers last month to help make the streets safer. Philadelphia endures a reputation as one of America's deadliest cities, with about a slaying a day and many more nonfatal shootings.

The nation's sixth-largest city has nearly 1.5 million residents, 44 percent of them black. It has notched more than 320 homicides this year. More than 80 percent of the slayings involve handguns, and most involve young black males.

Organizers had originally talked of deploying volunteers to patrol the streets, but they suggested Sunday that some would help out established community groups such as youth organizations.

The exact number of volunteers who signed up was not immediately known.

Johnson said he believes enlisting volunteers to help address violence was better than hiring more police to lock people up.

"These (volunteers) can prevent people from being arrested. They can go out there and do things for kids to prevent them from getting in trouble with the criminal justice system," Johnson said.

Non-blacks were also welcome, but organizers stressed the need for the black community to solve its own problems. Most of the victims of gun violence in the city are black.

"I grew up in the streets. I don't want my son to be subjected to the same thing," said resident Christopher Norris, 34, who brought his 15-year-old son, Isaiah Saunders, to the event.

"I want to keep him on the right track and let him know there are more opportunities out there, and he doesn't have to resort to violence," Norris said.

I received word about this Sarah Silverman episode courtesy of a email from Min. Paul Scott who stewards several Afrocentric websites and blogs/yahoo groups. I suspect our definition of pro-Blackness is a bit different than Scott's as the video below will serve as a testament to that assertion:

Fox News interviews Minister Scott

But back to the matter at hand, Scott sent out an mass email pertaining to the Silverman blackface routine and I must agree that not only is it lethargic it's just not funny. I understand what she is attempting to do here (call it irony, double-entendre, etc) but her vaunted acerbic wit is well.....not acerbic and again, not funny. Blackface has never been funny as it purports to exaggerate African features that many Whites are currently attempting to co-opt minus the credit. Hottentot Venus toured Europe as an oddity and now White females are getting derriere implants with greater frequency. And let's not talk about lip augmentation and tanning. Conversely, people of color have had their fare share of trying to incorporate a European standard of beauty. All in all, it amounts to madness-but I digress. Racial humor is a tricky tightrope and some are more adept at it than others. This is what happens when a cottage minstrel industry is allowed to flourish-others want to jump in and join the party. Just as Dr. Cosby's book so poignantly states-Come on, people!

I will not be deterred (just as Dr. Cosby continues to stay on message) from addressing the pathological and dysfunctional precepts that appear to permeate throughout communities of color. As the death toll and stats rise, the Dysons, Jacksons and Sharptons and a whole host of social progressives continue to wear blinders in not allowing Black folk to be more self-effacing regarding internal cultural matters. As long as we remain victims, you never have to say you're sorry, take responsibility or more importantly take action. But I suspect the tide is turning and a once silent majority is tired of being tired demanding behavioral change. Let's take a look at the latest op-ed piece by NY Daily News scribe, Errol Louis:

The brilliant clarity of Cosby

Sunday, October 21st 2007, 4:00 AM

Three years after ruffling feathers and making enemies with a pungent public rant about the need for higher standards of behavior, achievement and personal responsibility in low-income black communities, Bill Cosby is back with a vengeance.

The good news: though his call for a cultural revolution from within is just as vital, this time he is a far less controversial voice representing mainstream views.

Cosby's new book, "Come on People," co-authored by Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Alvin Poussaint, has already been featured on Oprah, Larry King and an extraordinary full hour on NBC's "Meet the Press." It's destined for a slot on the best seller lists.

The mainstream has caught up with the entertainer, and not a moment too soon. Cosby's straight talk and self-help solutions flow like a fresh breeze through the tangle of university jargon and cowardly excuses that so often turn discussions of inner-city problems into a muddle.

"A house without a father is a challenge. A neighborhood without fathers is a catastrophe, and that's just about what we have today," write Cosby and Poussaint, citing startling statistics:

Of about 16,000 murders in this country each year, more than half are committed by black men.

Young black men are twice as likely to be unemployed as other American men.

Although black people are just 12% of the general population, they are some 44% of prison inmates.

In more than 20 years of thinking and writing about these issues, I'm used to hearing professors and politicians - both liberals and conservatives - respond to such numbers with competing "root cause" explanations that locate problems and solutions everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Cosby's path through this jungle of endless debate is to encourage individuals to build up themselves and their families - not as a substitute for political activity, but as the glue that creates politically powerful communities.

The authors are wonderfully ecumenical about how to deal with the crisis of fatherlessness: "We must reach out to black youth, particularly black boys, to show them all of the opportunities that are available. But more than show them, we've got to lead them, and that takes mentoring and tutoring and coaching."

I can't imagine a less controversial message - one that really shouldn't require an hour on "Meet the Press" to break through. But Cosby still has his detractors.

"This is hardly the call to action that can inspire and motivate underachieving blacks...," says columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson. "Cosby's blame the victim slam does nothing to encourage government officials and business leaders to provide greater resources and opportunities to aid those blacks that need help."

And sadly, Hutchinson speaks for plenty of others who would rather close their eyes to what is, like it or not, an unpretty picture for black families.

They are dead wrong. Many government and business leaders, who over the last 50 years have committed billions of public and private dollars to a long run of housing and social welfare programs, are closing their checkbooks as they watch troubled black families and neighborhoods continue to disintegrate.

Bringing these players back to the table and getting the problems of the inner city higher on the public agenda requires facing problems with Cosby's fearless, gritty optimism and mobilizing every person of goodwill, from ghetto streets to corporate suites and high government office, to pitch in and help.

Please accept my apologies for the delays for the past few days as well as Sunday's Afronerd Radio preemption but I would rather cancel a show than proceed with a less than fruitful program. In the interim, let me post a few stories (along with my customary editorializing) for our readers, supporters (and detractors) to flesh out-and of course, let us know what you think. First up, is a story by way of the Christian Science Monitor highlighting a family reunion between the races. As people of color, we have always been keenly aware of our European slave-based lineage-perhaps White folk are starting to get or admit to the memo (or is that email).

Hell, even Reverend Press & Curl received his antebellum email when he discovered that his family was owned by Strom Thurmond's klan (ahem, clan) with dna testing allegedly in the works to affirm a genealogical connection. Perhaps the best known case of a slave-based interracial-familial liaison pertains to the Thomas Jefferson-Sally Hemings affair. Hemings was not only Jefferson's slave but also a concubine whose union with the third POTUS allegedly resulted in several children. Jefferson's White descendents have long denied that such a union took place yet several dna tests on Black alleged Jefferson family members bear out a contrary point of view. Check out this excerpt from Wikipedia's synopsis on Sally Heming:

Thomas Jefferson Foundation reportIn January 2000, a group of specialists from the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which owns and operates Monticello, published a study on the controversy initiated soon after the Nature paper. Their near-unanimous[22] report[23] stated that "although paternity cannot be established with absolute certainty, our evaluation of the best evidence available suggests the strong likelihood that Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had a relationship over time that led to the birth of one, and perhaps all, of the known children of Sally Hemings."

Now let's take a look at an excerpt from the Christian Science Monitor article, which denotes a happier instance where Black and White relatives have accepted and embraced their sordid slave history opting to move onward and upward:

Lakeport, Ark. - Richard Johnson and Harry Taylor have spent their adult lives 1,100 miles apart – Mr. Johnson as a human-resources director in Texas, Mr. Taylor as a tool-and-dye maker in Kentucky. That's not unusual for cousins. But Taylor is black; Johnson is white. And as the two men embrace today on a green Arkansas farm, under a Southern sun with bolls of cotton blowing in the breeze, the homestead in the background isn't just any white colonial or red-brick ranch. Nor is this just any family reunion.

Lakeport is a plantation – a stark fact and a complex heritage that can evoke pride, shame, anger, fondness, and humiliation, often all at once. Over 150 years ago, African-American slaves carved this place from the forests that dotted the riverbanks, while white landowners moved into the stately "Big House," which could be a backdrop for "Gone with the Wind."

Now, as the two men pose for a picture at a rare reunion marking the reopening of the plantation, Johnson hugs Taylor.

"You never know who you're related to," Taylor says with a laugh.

The photo they took might double as a prism on the Old South and the New. It's a glimpse of how far the country has come since slavery, with the descendants of its privilege and pain standing before cotton fields, their arms slung around each other, with equal rights and separate livelihoods.

Yet a sensitive past still lingers here, both on and off Lakeport grounds. Plenty of people didn't want this gathering to happen, and part of the day's celebration occurs in an African-American cemetery where slaves, sharecroppers, and tenant farmers are buried – without tombstones.

Still, that the ceremony is even taking place evokes a spirit of remembrance and reconciliation, of healing about the past and openness about the future. As the names of the African-American dead are read aloud, a white woman wipes tears from her eyes. "Let this help us remember the past," says Deacon R.C. Royal after reading from Psalms.

If anyone is familiar with the great Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa's seminal work Rashomon, video footage like the one above is supposed to prevent contradictory perceptions. Unfortunately, a cursory review of this case throughout the internet/blogosphere affirms that individuals just can't seem to agree as to what really transpired between this teenager and police officer. I am the last person to apologize for cases that demonstrate police misconduct and abuse of authority as it relates to minorities. But I implore our readers to attempt to explain this away-what could this officer have done?

Whether one agrees with the authorities or not, isn't a person required to comply? This young lady resisted throughout this entire ordeal with the officer repeatedly asking in a calm manner to comply-which she did not, resulting in him getting bit. Again, we understand that she is a youth but I have heard many respondents on various blogs and news sites place blame against the officer when he clearly knew he was being taped (his police cruiser was equipped with the surveilling camera) forewarning the teen that he did not want to use force. Where are the progressives on this issue? Why can't we use discernment and common sense when these matters arise? Some of these alleged brutality cases have a lead-up event that oftentimes precedes the violent moment-the cause and effect dynamic is rarely discussed. Why analyze the entire situation when the more salient details make good copy-facts be damned! Check out this article on the above story, courtesy of CBS4:

Teen Bites Officer; Officer Pepper Sprays Back(CBS4) FORT PIERCE A police officer who punched a 15-year-old girl, then used pepper spray to subdue her while she resisted arrest should be suspended until an investigation is complete, activists said Thursday.

Police Officer Daniel Gilroy's patrol car dashboard camera caught the incident on tape as he was attempting to arrest Shelwanda Riley on July 15 for being out past a local curfew.

According to Gilroy's report, the girl, whom activists called Shawanda, was kicking and swinging at him. The dashboard video shows Gilroy repeatedly asking the girl to stop resisting, but she continued to scream and squirm as he tried to handcuff her.

"Miss, I don't want to force you because you're small," the officer calmly said.

She then twisted around and reportedly bit the officer, which is when he punched and sprayed her in the face.

"A lot of restraint before I used any kind of force, but when she bit me, it was all over," the officer can be heard saying on his radio later.

"Whatever your opinion, there is a clear case that this was excessive force," said the Rev. William F. Richardson, a representative of the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network. "This officer should not be working the beat while this is under investigation."

Police Chief Sean Baldwin initially defended the officer's actions, saying he does not expect his officers to stand by and allow suspects to bite them. Baldwin later announced an internal investigation. The chief has since declined to comment.

Richardson and other activists also called for better training of officers in dealing with curfew violations to prevent similar clashes.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

I just happend to catch today's broadcast (available online) of Farai Chideya's Bloggers Roundtable segment from her News & Notes show-yours truly is scheduled tentatively scheduled to return on November 7th. Shay from the great conservative blog, Booker Rising was as accurate as ever but I expect nothing less from her based on how she runs her blog. Her views definitely mirrored my own. Check out the show and let us know what you think:

I was recently contacted by Dr. Ian Smith's publicist (of BET's Meet the Faith and Celebrity Fit Club) for an interview regarding his latest effort-the 50 million pound challenge. I will post a transcript of the interview shortly after it takes place but it reminds me yet again, we really have no excuses. Whether it's our socio-economic dysfunctionalism or disproportionate obesity rates, taking a look at the following two elder fitness buffs totally debunks the notions of victimization and excuses. The video above is of a Oakland bodybuilder named "Diego" who is 62 years of age-not old in my book but gets the label of someone who is of advanced age. Again, he has a phenomenal physique and reminds me that....there are no excuses. Next (below) video showcases Morjorie Newlin, a female bodybuilder who is a grandmother closing in on 90 and in incredible shape-perhaps a better physique than a person a 1/4 her age! No excuses folks! I can't make any and I suggest you do the same.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Well just as quickly as the weeks come and go so does the level of absolute absurdity, hence a light-skinned preference party that was (thankfully) canceled by a Detroit DJ. What makes it even more absurd is who would be classified as light-skinned in a community that has countless variations in skin tone. I wouldn't classify the young lady in the flyer as being classically "light-skinned." but at this stage in the game it depends on who you are standing next to. Well, if you haven't guessed-this DJ's misstep will be discussed on Thursday as well as the two Bill Cosby appearances (Meet the Press and Oprah) for this week to tout his new book (co-penned by Dr. Alvin Poussaint) Come on People. If time permits we will also discuss T.I.'s arrest, 2 of the Jena make a public appearance and Imus' return to the airwaves....whew! Call in "live" with your thoughts and opinions at-646-915-9620 or contact us via IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo.

The validity of the following story should still be called into question, as we are still getting conflicting accounts. A colleague (of Rhodes) on air intimated her recent accosting being a right wing conspiracy and yet her attorney is denying the existence of such an attack. And they say conservatives twist stories. Although I wear the conservative label, I do listen to radio programs of varying political persuasions-The Randi Rhodes Show notwithstanding. So please do not take the title of this entry as a sign of a lack of empathy. Anyone familiar with Rhodes' show should be keenly aware that she definitely holds her own in a broadcast world where conservative talkfests reign supreme. I would also grant her props for being an informed host, albeit I do not agree with everything she spouts off based on her political positioning. The question remains however, will her brutal attack in NYC serve as a testament to the folly of liberal excuse making-it's usually personal incidents like this that can change a person from....dare I say it...progressive to conservative. Only time will tell. Check out the latest on the Rhodes attack, courtesy of the Village Voice:

The Talking Radio blog reported on Tuesday that liberal talk radio host Randi Rhodes was mugged and brutally attacked while walking her dog near 39th Street and Park Avenue, but the NYPD can't confirm the report.

From the blog:

According to Air America Radio late night host Jon Elliott, Rhodes was beaten up pretty badly, losing several teeth and will probably be off the air for at least the rest of the week. At of late Monday night we have not able to locate any press accounts of the attack and nothing has been posted on the AAR website....Elliott was extremely agitated when he reported on the incident. He opened his show by saying "it is with sadness that tonight I inform you that my Air America colleague Randi Rhodes was assaulted last night while walking her dog near her New York City home." Pointing out that Rhodes was wearing a jogging suit and displayed no purse or jewelry, Elliott speculated that "this does not appear to me to be a standard grab the money and run mugging."

But according to Det. Cavitolo, an NYPD spokesman, "Nothing has been filed with us. We have no reports of an incident."

Monday, October 15, 2007

I have been told that you cannot judge people-the adage “Judge Not Least You Be Judged” comes to mind. But as a native New Yorker I have to judge in order to survive (Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink should have been my manifesto) and I suspect that anyone living in any major metropolitan city utilizes a similar standard. If I were to encounter someone in a klansman’s uniform, I sincerely doubt that I would want to invite him/her over for tea and crumpets-I’m just saying. And in the same breath, I would be hesitant to associate with a person that is clothed in full ghetto garb as well.

So I would like to submit a question to the class-Are the two young men (pictured above) from the Jena 6 case appropriately dressed for their first public outing? The photo was taken during last week’s BET Hip Hop award show leading one to think that perhaps they should have been advised to leave the Jim Jones and the Dipset ghetto garb at home and wear something more conservative because to put it simply-the world is watching. And I’m not the only one that came to the same conclusion-hat tip to the What Would Thembi Do blog for pointing out this grotesque faux pas as well as comedian Katt Williams jokingly (Black men in the past unfortunately did not have that option) wearing a noose with the matching pink pimp suit. I guess this is what the legions of Black folk fought for when they decided to take up the Jena 6 cause last month. Check out this excerpt, courtesy of the Thembi blog:

Anything sponsored by BET is doomed to a special brand of impenetrable coonery. A sort of vortex of porchmonkey-business that envelops every single attendee, if you will.

Now, on the left we have two of the Jena 6, who were invited to the awards by BET to present the Best Hip Hop Video Award and explain what the whole Jena 6 deal is about. Thank you, BET for being socially involved, but could you have explained to these two young men that a suit, not jeans and shades, is the outfit of those taken seriously? I don't blame these kids, I blame whoever forgot to tell them that they aren't rappers and aren't there to stunt it up. I can just see them rushing over to City Blue to get outfitted for the night. And I don't know what statement Katt Williams is trying to make but I guess no one told him that Jena 6 was going to be in the house. Maybe they can sue him for Post Traumatic Stress disorder...

I was recently given the opportunity to review Dr. Cosby's latest literary effort, Come On People a few days ago, so I wait with baited breath until my book arrives. In the interim, let's take a look at the Sunday broadcast of an interview with Cosby and his longtime collaborator, Dr. Alvin Poussaint on Time Russert's Meet the Press show. It truly boggles the mind that Cosby's critics have deemed him delusional and out of touch-he couldn't be more in tune with the core problems affecting lower tier communities of color. It also appears that he had to capitulate to the progressives by alluding to the structural/racial factors that impede Black progress. No one denies that these hurdles exist, however I surmise that Dr. Cosby wants people of color to also focus on issues that may be cultural and/or pathological (admittedly a term often used here in Afronerd) in nature. Check out these clips, courtesy of Youtube and tell us what you think? Is Cosby crazy? Or just truthful? You guys know what I think.

And this just in-Dr. Cosby is scheduled to speak with Oprah this Wednesday. Here's more on that story courtesy of Black Voices:

The legendary entertainer, who is the co-author of the new book 'Come on, People,' is all fired up and speaking out on the controversy over his 2004 remarks about the black community."The only thing I regretted was I thought that I was talking to just my people," said the legendary entertainer largely known as "America's Favorite Dad" -- which airs nationally Oct. 17. "I said, okay, I'm gonna talk to my people and I guess there were some black people who saw some white people sitting around and then they decided that I was dragging out dirty laundry," he continued.

The "dirty laundry" in question are the comments, made during an appearance at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's annual conference in the summer of 2004, where he said: "Let me tell you something, your dirty laundry gets out of school at 2:30 every day, it's cursing and calling each other [the N-word] as they're walking up and down the street. They think they're hip. They can't read. They can't write. They're laughing and giggling, and they're going nowhere."The remarks sent shockwaves through the African-American community, stirring much debate in the media about Cosby and whether or not he had the right to speak such words in a public forum.On Winfrey's top-rated talk show, Cosby is uncensored, unplugged and utterly unapologetic. Here's some dialogue.OPRAH: Did you think that you were dragging out dirty laundry? BILL: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. And have you ever seen dirty laundry? OPRAH: It's bad, isn't it? It's smelly. BILL: And we have to clean it, don't we? OPRAH: Yeah. What -- what did you think though, Bill, when everybody really came after you? What did you -- did you think?BILL: I thought they were crazy. OPRAH: Did you. (Laughter.) BILL: I said -- I said, these people have lost their minds.

According to publisher Thomas Nelson, 'Come on, People,' authored with Alvin F. Poussaint, is "always engaging, and loaded with heart-piercing stories of the problems facing many communities."The hardcover tome hits newsstands this week."Our children are trying to tell us something...and we're not listening," Cosby said to Winfrey, while also taking on topics including absent fathers, teenage pregnancy, violence, the "n" word, and spanking.

Friday, October 12, 2007

It's no secret that one of my many hobbies centers on comic book collecting and related animation projects. So just to take a break from the usual serious nature of our blog, I wanted to share with our readers one of my favorite episodes (entitled "Out of the Past") of the defunct Batman Beyond series from the creative team of Bruce Timm and Dwayne McDuffie. This particular episode of course show what happens to an elderly Bruce Wayne when he gets the opportunity to regain his youth-pretty cool stuff.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

I thought that it would be apropos to showcase a performance from the great Living Color as we are scheduled to interview Darrell McNeill of the Black Rock Coalition. Why aren't we hearing Bad Brains, 24-7 Spyz, Fishbone or Tamar Kali on terrestrial airwaves? Perhaps this will be explored on this Sunday's discussion. Come on down folks as we analyze the state of Black music and what can be done to bring back the musicianship-call in this Sunday the 14th at: 646-915-9620 or if you're the shy type, email/IM us at afronerdradio@yahoo. Be there and....well, you know Be square.

Just a reminder that we have our Week in Review show scheduled for 9pm this evening-topics to discuss: yet another noose found at Columbia University, VH1's hip hop honors show, Marion Jones and more if time permits. Stay tuned for this Sunday's show when we interview the Darrell Macneill, the Director of Operations of the NY Chapter for the Black Rock Coalition. Anyone worth their grain in salt should be familiar with the famed organization, founded by Vernon Reid (of Living Colour) and the Village Voice's Greg Tate. More info to follow-but remember the BRC show is slated for 8pm eastern.

A near-mint copy of Detective Comics 27, a pre-World War II comic featuring Batman's debut, was recently found in an attic and sold to a local collector.

The comic is considered to be the second-most valuable available, after Action Comics 1, where Superman makes his first appearance.

Collector Todd McDevitt said the Batman issue he bought is worth about $250,000, but he won't say how much he paid for it or who sold the book to him.

McDevitt, owner of the Pittsburgh area's five New Dimension Comics stores, said he has been saving money since 1986 so that he could buy a valuable comic when it appeared. Experts estimate there are between 20 to a few hundred copies of the Batman debut.

In appraising the book, McDevitt graded the issue at Fine to Very Fine, reported the comic book Web site newsarama.com. But even that slight distinction between grades has meaning -- according to Overstreet Price Guide, there's a $110,000 price difference between copies in those two conditions.

"The real kicker is that it's nice copy, newly discovered and not obviously restored," McDevitt said in a story posted to the newsarama site. "Most of the copies out there are worked on and many buyers shy away from that. The right guy who has been waiting for just this kind of copy will be thrilled."

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

First off-I really dig this song and a righteous hat tip to Shay of Booker Rising for initially showcasing this item. The above artist is Rissi Palmer and she is the first woman of color to make the Country Billboard chart in more than two decades. A contrarian after my own heart and she's easy on the eyes as well. Check out Shay's take on Ms. Palmer's latest accomplishment:

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

It's that time again people-Afronerd Radio's Week in Review. Let's do what we do best, analyze and discuss this week's latest newsworthy stories-the Marion Jones scandal, VH-1's hip hop honors, more sexual harassment claims for the NY Knicks organization and the Washington Post waxes poetic on which Black America?. Join us this Thursday(9pm-eastern) at the same Afronerd time, same Afronerd channel. Call us "live" at-646-915-9620 or via IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo.

And as an added "treat," check out what one reader thought about yours truly the day after my September 26th NPR appearance (I'm a big boy-I can take it....although the gentleman did forget to question Reverend Jackson's choice words for Senator Obama-I'm just saying..):

Kudos to Mr. Jeff Salzgeber of ON Networks for contacting me regarding an excellent and must needed initiative to counter the negative imagery that has literally defined current African-American culture. This initiative, known as I am Blackness is an online venture which seeks to highlight and honor people of color who have chosen career paths outside the stereotypical box of sports and entertainment. I would suggest to our readers to please pass this information along to other bloggers and colleagues insuring that it becomes viral in nature-think of it as a disease in excellence worth catching. For more info, check out their official website below:

Perhaps this is a gratuitous video but there is a point beyond my admiration of this pretty young woman's physique-the need for diet and fitness to be placed in higher regard in communities of color. I consider myself to be a fitness buff and as of late, I have not only been frustrated with my own goals but also with the complacency of some Black/Brown women (and some males exhibiting this as well) toward exercise. I had a conversation with my allergist some time ago whereby we discussed our workout habits-and we came to the same conundrum-why wouldn't someone want to look better if he/she could? African-American women (with Latinas a close second) comprise the largest segment of the population in obesity rates and just as Black male incarceration rates are disproportionate and must be analyzed, so must our health issues. The above young lady's physical prowess is something to behold and it definitely inspires yours truly-the test is...does it inspire you? Click on the links below for more fitness oriented fare:

I just happened to listen to syndicated radio dj Michael Baisden's broadcast from yesterday when he respectfully disagreed with some of the criticisms levied against the Jena 6 protest in a recent op-ed piece written by Manhattan fellow, Heather MacDonald. But to Baisden's credit, he did agree with the overall premise of the article which mirrors what we discuss in Afronerd on a regular basis-outrage and action must be implemented Jena style relating to Black dysfunctionalism. Just as the Imus affair demanded that the hip hop industry take accountability for its equal share of misogyny toward women of color, reactions to the Jena 6 matter call into question addressing Black on Black murder with similar vigor. And for the record, we are fully aware of the structural problems and/or hurdles that contribute to this aforementioned dysfunctionalism but I think that communities of color are at a crucial precipice. If we continue down this road of denial, we will continue to fall through a chasm replete with low expectations, continued failure and cyclical incarceration. Let's take heed to Ms. MacDonald's piece featured below, courtesy of DallasNews.com:

Heather MacDonald: Don't make Jena out to be more than it is

Events there certainly merit scrutiny, but they're not emblematic of country's race relations

Let's assume the worst about Jena, La., and the charges of attempted murder brought against five black youths for beating a white student unconscious last December: that the district attorney's indictments were motivated by rank racism and that the racial tensions in this town of 3,000 are exclusively the product of white animus against blacks. Does it follow that this latest object of frenzy on the media's racism beat is emblematic of America's judicial system or the state of race relations today?

That is certainly what the ever-expanding army of racial victimologists and their media enablers would have you believe. Since the Jena story became international news, the media, the advocates and pandering politicians have erupted in an outpouring of seeming joy at the alleged proof that America remains a racist country.

Unquestionably, the attempted murder charges (which were later dropped for four of the defendants, while two other assailants were booked as juveniles) merit scrutiny. If the indictment in fact resulted from discrimination, then the prosecutor would deserve the strongest punishment. And the incident that seems to have led to the group assault on the white student – hanging nooses from a school tree where white teens congregated – was a despicable provocation.

But even if the worst possible interpretation of these events is merited, the massive international attention to this tiny town would seem vastly disproportionate to the cause, unless Jena stands for a more widespread problem. The idea behind the protests is that just as these six youths were overcharged, the hundreds of thousands of blacks in prison are also the victims of systemic abuse. But for institutional racism, the black prison population would be much smaller.

The reason the black incarceration rate is the highest in the country is that blacks have the highest crime rate – by a long shot. Nationally, blacks commit murder at about eight times the frequency of whites. In New York, any given violent crime is 13 times as likely to have been committed by a black person as by a white person, according to the reports of victims and witnesses. These ratios are similar across the country. In Los Angeles, blacks committed 41 percent of all robberies in 2001, according to victims' descriptions, though they constitute only 11 percent of the city's population.

No one in the Jena stampede dares whisper a word about black crime, because it undercuts the portrait of a victimized race. You can listen to every protest across the country glorifying the Jena Six, and you will never hear an acknowledgement of the massive social breakdown that is the black crime rate: no mention of the violence in inner-city schools that black students commit overwhelmingly; no mention of the rising homicides in midsize cities that young black males commit when they feel "disrespected." It is not racism putting black men in jail; it's their own behavior. Behind the crime wave is the cataclysmic disappearance of marriage – the black illegitimacy rate can approach 90 percent in inner cities – but it, too, is taboo.

What about the broader significance of Jena? Is Jena's supposed racism a microcosm of America? To the contrary: There is not a single elite institution in the country that is not twisting itself into knots in favor of African-Americans, instituting double standards for the sake of "diversity." After college, law schools, business schools, medical schools, engineering schools and others accept black students whose test scores would disqualify them if they were white or Asian. The preferences continue into the professions.

The Jena protesters deny these truths. In fact, the purpose of such mass celebrations – and that is indeed what they are – is to make sure that attention stays far away from the actual problems holding blacks back. Both whites and blacks are complicit in this sabotage. These ecstatic festivals of racism-bashing are a crippling ritual in the co-dependency between absolution-seeking whites and angry blacks, a phenomenon that African-American scholar Shelby Steele has powerfully analyzed.

The demonstrators exhibit a palpable desire for the moral clarity of the civil rights era, as do the reporters, who cover their every utterance. But there has been nothing like Selma or Montgomery for the current generation because much of America has accomplished almost an about-face on race since the 1950s. The current martyrs to American bigotry are a far cry from Rosa Parks.

The Jena situation is undoubtedly a bit more complex than the tale the press has woven of hate-filled whites and peace-loving blacks. But even if it were not, the catharsis that this morality play has offered to its participants is spurious. The real tragedy is the dysfunctional culture that holds back too many blacks from seizing the many opportunities open to them.

Heather Mac Donald is a contributing editor to the Manhattan Institute's City Journal (www.city-journal.com), where a longer version of this essay appears. E-mail her at letters@city-journal.org.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Sorry folks but today's broadcast has been cancelled. We never want to give you a substandard show so we'll take a break for the holiday and reconvene on Thursday for our Week in Review. Also remember that our new format entails Sunday's show for topics and/or interviews-stay tuned.

I want to give a hat tip to Orli of Comedy Central's Indecision2008 for the above clip. It is apparent that the top 4 Republican candidates definitely became the fodder for political satirists for skipping Tavis Smiley's Morgan State University debate and we will discuss the conservative no show during tonight's broadcast. I will provide one clue as to our thoughts-would you attend a potentially hostile environment that doesn't vote for you? Perhaps it wasn't the wisest PR decision but one might argue on the side of practicality if the conservatives are interested in maintaining their power in the White House. But I doth protest too much-at least before the show starts. Drop and share your thoughts with us as we discuss a number of other issues including 2 northern racial issues reminiscent of Jena, La and a Rutgers professor's remarks that some have deemed to be inherently racist-we beg to differ. The call in number is 646-915-9620 or IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo. And of course the broadcast is "live" 9pm eastern.

I readily admit that I like the Boondocks but I must also confess that I do not care for its creator, Aaron McGruder's leftist politics. Others (myself included) are not fans of his over indulgence in the use of the n-word pejorative. I guess I really became a fan of the series after the infamous (and Rev. Sharpton boycotted) Dr. Martin Luther King episode from the first season. One would have to surmise that if Dr. King did survive and lived to see ghetto culture define the entire spectrum of African-American culture he might lose his legendary composure. And as far as McGruder's politics, check out this New Yorker article from a few years ago and decide for yourselves:

As the above article demonstrates, McGruder will allow his politics to manifest itself like a form of Tourette’s syndrome abandoning all appropriate decorum. This is not to take away from his talent but why does expressing one’s political opinion have to result in a common display of rudeness? Nevertheless, I find it fascinating that despite McGruder’s abundant use of the word “nigger” in his animated efforts-a strong conservative message of accountability and cultural critique permeates throughout the Boondocks. Or perhaps more accurately, he straddles the fence. On one level, the name and characterization of the main protagonist Huey (in the spirit of the late Black Panther, Huey Newton) affirms a radical left position and yet Riley (Huey’s brother) connotes a current neo-minstrel archetype. How conservatism rears its head in my estimation becomes apparent at each episode’s conclusion when McGruder critiques people of color for perceived misguided collective values. Social progressives often chalk up Black aberrant behavior as cultural expression and should be above criticism. Let’s take a look at a recent article courtesy of ProgressiveU.org which attempts to debunk conventional leftist apologia:

BOONDOCKS Bows Down to the N-wordBy goldfingers - Posted on October 2nd, 2007

Language has been and remains an effective means to marginalize minorities. Consider the persistent and incessant use of the n-word, America’s swastika to the African American. The term is a discreet, deceiving form of psychological, social, and spiritual abuse; the n-word desecrates the sacred memories of hard-fighting African-American ascendants. After almost 400 years of conditioning, a community of people have become immune to, or accepted, the adverse implications and negative effects the term, and all it encompasses, imposes on their mind state, and ultimately their life’s success.

The word n**ger was not embraced willingly by ascendants of African Americans, no quite the contrary, for more than 300 years they were terrorized, dehumanized, brutally assaulted, maimed, killed and wantonly raped. All because they were looked upon as 3/5 human, sub-human unfit to be treated as human beings, in other words they were a n**ger; the very word which African American descendants—today— embraces with tender loving care.

What kind of twisted minds would take such a diabolical word and embrace it? especially such a word that justified the dehumanization of their ancestors. The sacrifices, struggles and honor of our black ancestors we will not defend nor respect; but yet we will defend and respect those who desecrates and defiles their memories by embracing this word and making it a part of their everyday language. There is absolutely no rational excuse for such untoward behavior.

This month of October, Machiavellian Aaron McGruder, creator of the Boondocks plans to release myriads of videos laced with the n-word. Returning from a hiatus, Mr. McGruder—through a premeditated, diabolical scheme—plans to saturate America with heavy doses of the n-word. McGruder will prove to be a true emissary of the Prince of Darkness, becoming the most dangerous and greatest threat—psychologically—to the black community in all of America.

Several hip hop stars will be lending their voices to the program this season such as Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Ghostface Killah, Cee-lo, Lil Wayne, Aisha Tyler, Tichina Arnold, Mo’Nique, Tavis Smiley, Cedric the Entertainer, Xzibit, Charlie Murphy, and a few others. Ironically, the voices enshrining and glorifying the sacred memories of our ancestors are deafeningly silent, whereas the n-word is taken and praised to the high heavens.

At some point the African American community must learn to start holding one another accountable for the debilitating conduct and actions of those who think nothing of trampling on and dishonoring the memories of our black ancestry. African Americans have been conditioned to hold nothing sacred about themselves, this need to change. We must learn how to acknowledge the rich and rewarding heritage of our ancestors and it isn’t done by spitting on their graves, slapping them in the face with the very word that was used to dehumanized and crucify them.

The actions of Aaron McGruder and his band of disciples who are doing the voice-overs are a discredit to the millions of each and every black man, woman and child who for more than 300 plus years, had to endure the indignation of atrocious acts, such as brutal rapings, maiming, sodomizing with hot pokers, hangings, being boiled and burned alive. If these very same acts were being perpetrated upon your loved ones today, such as was the case in a recent isolated incident in West Virginia, all because this is what you do to n**gers I don’t think you would find any humor in it.

Not unless of course you find the following humorous: In l904 black sharecroppers Luther Holbert and his wife were chained to a tree and a audience of 600 white spectators enjoyed treats like deviled eggs, lemonade and whiskey in a festive atmosphere while Mr. and Mrs. Holbert had first their fingers chopped off one by one, followed by their ears, followed by a severe beating that left Mr. Holbert with one eye dangling from it's factured socket, followed by "spirals...of raw, quivering flesh" being extracted from both Holberts via corkscrew before the couple were finally burned alive. And as they were drawing their last breath the last words they would hear were the jeers of n**ger, n**ger, n**ger…a word that is today condoned, tolerated and embraced by descendants of people such as the likes of a Mr. & Mrs.Holbert.

There is however, a light at the end of the tunnel, slowly but surely, like a sleeping giant some of us are starting to wake up, two years ago Earl Graves probably would not have pulled the plug on Eddie Griffin, but today is a new day, more and more blacks are starting to awake from their deep slumber of almost 400 years of sleeping.

H. Lewis Smith is the author of Bury that Sucka and the Founder/CEO of United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

First off, I detest focusing on celebrity based stories because they have a tendency to not be about much substance. But bear with me as EURweb.com's take on this next story denotes a long suffering problem that many African-Americans suffer from-White cultural fixation. And to be fair, conversely, White culture also uses race in coded language to convey messages as well. The difference, however is that this White cultural fixation comprises a great deal of the psyche and identity of Black folk preventing many people of color from looking at issues with clarity. The Jena 6 issues comes to mind.

Sorry to sound like a broken MP3 file, but our insistence at galvanizing solely against discrimination cases while our "in-house" madness overflows just appears short-sighted. Somehow taking this stance, in the eyes of some of my peers, detractors and blog readers makes me treasonous. Why? I can not answer that-but at some point if we are to stave off our excruciatingly high murder rates, a direct response in the same vein as racial cases must be implemented. Now what does this have to do with Elizabeth Taylor? Well according to some reports, she may be marrying an African-American. Perhaps the number of marriages should be called into question not the race of her latest paramour.

No big deal, right? The mainstream outlets barely reported this with the racial factor being inconsequential. Not EurWeb.com's take, hence the "jungle fever" headline. It points to fixation and it does not move us along in a cultural sense. Who cares who (or why) an elderly actress marries? Perhaps it's the vintage Hollywood iconography factor but my bet is on tribalism, primitivism and fixation. Check out this diatribe I received in our email regarding this issue:

ELIZIBITCH TAYLOR MARRIES ANOTHER BLACK MAN....

This morning, on the Tom Joyner radio show, black women claimed that the answer to white actress Elizibeth Taylor marrying a black man, was for black women to now run and get white men!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

SO, ONCE AGAIN, BLACK WOMEN ARE MADE A MOCKERY OF; AND ONCE AGAIN, BLACK WOMEN MAKE MOCKERY OF THEMSELVES!! !! AMEN!!!

BLACK WOMEN STILL REFUSE TO SAY THAT THE "SOLUTION" IS FOR THEM TO SUPPORT OUR MEN'S MOVEMENT AND OUR CHURCH FOR MEN ONLY!!!

BLACK WOMEN NEVER THINK THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG FOR SO MANY WEALTHY BLACK MEN TO BE COMMITIING RACIAL SUICIDE BY RUNNING TO ALBINO WOMEN!!!! AMEN!!!

IT'S A DAMN SHAME THAT BLACK WOMEN TAKE NO BLAME FOR THIS TREND. YET, IT IS FURTHER PROOF OF HOW BLACK WOMEN DON'T SUPPORT THE RISE OF BLACK MEN....WHO ARE HER OWN SONS!!! AMEN!!!

AND THIS IS SIMPLY BECAUSE WHITE FEMINIST WOMEN TAUGHT BLACK WOMEN TO HATE HER OWN SONS....WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BLACK MESSIAHS, INSTEAD OF GANGSTER RAPPERS WITH SAGGING PANTS!!!! AMEN!!!

BLACK WOMEN WERE THE FIRST TO RUN OFF TO BE WITH WHITE WOMEN; NOT BLACK MEN!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! AMEN!!!

BLACK MEN ARE ONLY DOING WHAT BLACK WOMEN DID IN THE 1970s WHEN SHE JOINED FEMINISM AND DESERTED BLACK POWER!!!! AMEN!!!

I rest my case-but for more of the actual marriage speculation, click on the link below:

Monday, October 01, 2007

Allegedly Bill O'Reilly made some off the cuff remarks centering around a dinner he had with Rev. Press & Curl that some in the African-American community have deemed racist if not culturally insensitive. But were these comments really that off the mark? Notice how Air America (the above clip) twists this incident and then listen to the entire conversation. Every media outles possess their own spin zone. Of course our readers/radio listeners are aware of the diversity within communities of color as we drum this notion home incessantly throughout Afronerd-but is it fair to expect others to be so enlightened with a media barrage of neo-mistrelsy being piped in American households on a 24 hour basis? I'm not sure but to be fair let's take a listen to the infamous broadcast in its entirety and decide for yourselves:

And the second link involves the one and only Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas who recently provided an interview and a candid glimpse into his life in lieu of promoting a new memoir entitled, My Grandfather's Son. In my estimation this learned, mischaracterized and misunderstood jurist proves in the interview below that he is not the traitorous anathema to Civil Rights that many progressives in the African-American community believe him to be. Click on the link below and check out the interview-what do you think about this gentleman? Share your thoughts.